Dudhwa National Park

Dudhwa protects one of the last large stretches of Terai habitat in India, the belt of tall grassland, swamp and sal forest along the foot of the Himalaya, and its grasses grow high enough to hide an elephant. Tigers, leopards, sloth bears and swamp deer live here, the last in one of their most important populations. Greater one-horned rhinoceros were shot out of the region by the early twentieth century and reintroduced from Assam and Nepal in 1984, and the herd has grown since within a fenced area. Birdlife is exceptional, with hornbills, storks, fish owls and the Bengal florican among a long list.

History

The area of today's park was set up in 1958 as a sanctuary for swamp deer and became a national park in January 1977, thanks largely to the efforts of the conservationist Billy Arjan Singh. In 1987 Dudhwa, together with the Kishanpur and Katarniaghat sanctuaries, was declared the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (Wikipedia, Dudhwa National Park).

Highlights

• The tall grassland - Terai grasses high enough to conceal large animals.
• The rhinos - a reintroduced population in the fenced rehabilitation area.
• The swamp deer - one of the key barasingha populations in India.
• The birdlife - hornbills, storks, owls and grassland specialists.

When to go

November to April; the park closes during the monsoon from mid-June to mid-November. February to April gives the best sightings as grass is burnt back and water concentrates.

Before you go

Tiger sightings are far less reliable than in the central Indian parks because the grass is so tall. Accommodation is limited and basic. Access involves long road journeys.

Nearby

The Nepal border lies north; Lucknow is south.

Key facts